Outdoor Activities

Disclaimer: I received Gatorade ® Endurance products to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

Phew! Now that I have that stuck in your head, let’s talk about Gatorade Endurance!

I used to be a huge Gatorade user. I mean, wasn’t everyone!? I remember the yellow powder we kept at home when I was a kid. Then, when I first got into the racing scene, Gatorade was pretty much the only product out there. Races had it on course, it was easy to find, tasted good, and it was affordable. They only reason I strayed from it over the years was due to the sugar content. Gatorade was known to be just full of sugar, processed sugar.

Then, the new Gatorade Endurance formula came out and was specifically made for runners and other endurance athletes. The Endurance Formula is different than regular Gatorade in that it has 2x more sodium and 3x more potassium, which is perfect for the long run. They also have removed all the artificial flavors and sugars! Score!

There is a whole line of Gatorade Endurance products… powders, chews, drinks, bars, gels, etc… and they have just released new flavors for the powder formula and gels! Thanks to being a BibRave Pro, I got a first look at the new Watermelon Endurance Formula and the Mango Energy Gels before they even hit the shelves and they were a big hit in this household!

I took for the formula and the gels on my most recent long run and it must have worked because my 8-mile run turned into an 11-mile run. Okay, okay, this was in part due to me not turning around when I should have because I was looking for a specific spot on the trail, but the extra miles were completely bearable because I had my Gatorade.

When I look for hydration/electrolytes drinks and gels, I am always looking for a few things: Healthy, tasty and easy on the stomach. I’m happy to report the Endurance Formula and new flavors have passed the test! They even passed the boyfriend’s test. He didn’t know I had gotten the products for being a BibRave Pro and helped himself to the Watermelon Endurance Formula and asks me, “That a really good flavor! Where’d you get that!?” Another win!

Endurance Formula Powder (Water Melon)90 Calories, 140mg Potassium, 310mg Sodium, 22g Carbs
The Watermelon flavor is delicious! It’s light and not too sweet, so I could continually drink it on the run. It’s also light enough so that you don’t have to “chase” it with water like I have to do with some electrolyte drinks. I didn’t have any stomach issues and it really did help me make it through my long run.

Energy Gel (Mango Flavors)90 Calories, 35g Potassium, 100mg Sodium, 20g Carbs
Gels are so specific to each person. I personally don’t like super thick gels and usually gravitate toward the non-fruity flavors (like chocolate and vanilla). I’ve also tried a gel a long time ago that had chunks of, I don’t know what, maybe it was sugar, but whatever it was, made me gag. I was a little hesitant to try the Gatorade Endurance Gel because it was mango flavored and was nervous about the thickness “stickiness.” I pulled a bold move and brought it on the run before even trying just at home. It was easy to open, not too thick or too sticky. It was almost watery enough that you could just drink it from the package and not follow it with water. The taste was EXCELLENT. It did taste like mangos, and not artificially tasting mangos.

I can best describe both new flavors as refreshing. They have a very summer-like taste and have been perfect for my summer longs runs, after guiding (rock climbing) long hours in the sun and while we’ve been working on our new home.

The new flavors are NOW AVAILABLE! You should be able to find the Endurance Formula at your local run stores or online at www.GatoradeEndurance.com

How many times have you gone to Vegas? At least once, right? Most people have. I bet most people have never left the city, let alone the strip. Hey, I don’t blame them; it’s easy to get in a cheap and fun vacation in the City of Sin! I have been to Vegas twice (now three times) and never knew there was much beyond the strip.

Circa 2010 with one of my best friends, Amanda.

Now that I’m fully immersed in the climbing world (I own a guiding business after all), I know there’s so much more to Vegas. It’s now crazy to me how many people visit Vegas and have no idea there’s a beautiful National Conservation Area just minutes away. To each their own, I suppose; the outdoors is not for everyone!

If you are an outdoors enthusiast or looking for a side trip, just 15 minutes away from the Vegas strip (that’s even closer than visiting the Hover dam – which is still worthy of a visit) is an outdoor mecca waiting to be explored! Next time you are in Sin City, take a break from the nightly debauchery and explore this outdoor desert paradise!

Getting There:
From Vegas, take Charleston Blvd West.
That’s really it! It’s about 15 miles from the strip to the visitor’s center.

Things to do:-TONS of climbing; literally 100’s of routes! I won’t get into climbing too much. If you are a climber, you know what resources to use to find an ideal route (friends, Mountain Project and a guidebook). Let’s just say if you are a climber and have NOT been here, you’re missing out.

-Hiking: there are a ton of trails spattered all over the place! Pick a pull out off the road and start hiking.

-Visit the visitor center: I do have to say this is probably one of the best visitor centers I’ve seen. They have a earth, wind, water and fire display (all centered around what created the desert) and it’s pretty cool.

-Look for a desert tortoise: They have one living at the visitor center but try and see if you can spot this elusive creature in the park. Just please stay on the trails. (No, I have not seen one myself.)

-Take a drive: and pull over in every single pullout. There are some really unique views all over this 13-mile scenic drive. My favorite is the Calico Hills.

The Calico Hills during a freak snow storm

-Go horseback riding: Check out Cowboy Trail Rides.-Camp: There’s only one campground in the area, the Red Rock Campground. It’s $17/night (I believe) and it’s first come, first served but it’s decent. It can get really crowded with dirtbags (I was one of them for a week). 😉-Bike: You can road bike on the scenic drive and there are a few dirt trails for mountain bikers. Check in with the Visitor’s Center for trails open to mountain bikers.

Tips:
-Bring a map or a person that is really good at remembering which way you went on the trail. I do have to say, some of the trails as not marked very well and there’s a lot of braided trails all over. It’s easy to get going on the wrong one.
-If you’re camping, get there EARLY and be okay with dirtbags. There’s only one campground and it’s first-come-first-served and it’s full of dirty climbers! Many times, multiple groups are sharing one site, so it tends to be very crowded and occasionally noisy. (There are no showers, just pit toilets. There is potable water).
-The park has some pretty strict hours. If your climbing takes you past 5pm, make sure you leave a message with the rangers with your car’s info, where you’re climbing and when you’ll be out. In fact, if you are climbing, especially if you plan on being nighted; just read all the rules and regulations yourself.

We were there for about a week and got a lot of climbing in, a race and hiking. Here’s what we did:

Day 1: Visited the Visitor’s Center and then climbed a route called Olive Oil, a 665 ft, 5.7 rated route, with 5 pitches and a 2.5ish mile hike in and out. I only cried once when I got stuck in the chimney (Backstory: if you know me in real life, I tend to cry a lot while climbing. It’s getting better.) We got started a little late and ended up hiking out in the dark.

It was very windy

Hiking in

The approach

starting the climb

One chimney

almost there!

on the top

We made it!

Day 2: Climbing a little bit in the Calico Hills before the storm came rolling across the desert. We didn’t get much in before the storm rolled through. We then went to the host hotel for the race to check in and get my packet.

Calico hills

Climbing!

watching the storm roll in

snow on the rope

snow…in the desert!

Day 3: Race Day. I did the Red Rock Canyon Half! Read my race recap here or find it on BibRave.com. We took the remaing hours of the day to “rest” and walked around the Vegas Strip.

Day 4: Climbed Mescalito, a 1000ft, 5.7 grade peak with 7 pitches. The climb itself was fun and had a lot of fun features like a chimney, step arounds, ledges and some exposed slabs, but the more “fun” part was our descent. We were aiming for the hike out but ended up in this gulley with about 5 rappels and down climbing. It was miserable. We would be down climbing and then all of a sudden hit a drop off and see the rappel rings. Over and over and over. The sun was going down and we were tired. We touched the bottom of the peak just as the sun fully set, turned the headlamps on, and started the 3-mile hike to the car. Despite the hike out and down climb, this was probably the hardest full day of climbing I’ve ever expereience and I actually learned a lot and enjoyed the whole experience.

That’s Mescalito

The day after with Mescalito in the background

Getting Closer!

Hiking in

First pitch

Almost to the top

View from the top

Made it!

The moon in my hands!

Gummy Bears!

Ready to descend

The back side of mescalito

Day 5: Rest day! We found some easier climbing back in the Calico Hills and I led my first pitch!

We also camped at the red rock canyon campground for most of our nights except the night before my race. We stayed at the race’s host hotel, the Sun Coast Casino and had fun exploring the giant casino and did some bowling. It was also nice to get a shower in after the race before we had to check out and get back to camping life.

Next time you visit Las Vegas, I highly suggest taking a day trip to this National Conservation Area! It’s beautiful and so close to town!

I’m going to start this review by saying I am not normally a hydration vest user. I have used other vests when they first came around but had such a bad experience with them, in terms of chaffing and cleaning, I stopped wearing them and never found a replacement.

Then, I bought a hydration belt, but even that wasn’t quite what I needed. It didn’t hold nearly enough water and it always bounces on my butt no mater how I place it or adjust it.

When BibRave put the CTA out about the Amphipod PureRun Minimalist Hydration Vest, I saw the words “minimalist” and “vest” in the same sentence and was intrigued.

When it comes to hydration needs on the run (usually for anything over an hour and also depending on the temperature outside), I look for a few things:
-Amount of water I can carry
-Minimal to no “bounce” or moving around on my back or body (i.e. I don’t want it rubbing any exposed skin)
-Minimal fabric/bulk of the product itself
-Pockets for things like my phone, keys or ID and cash (because if I’m wearing a vest, I don’t want to wear anything else in terms of belts or put things in my pockets)
-Easy to take care of and clean

To keep it simple, the PureRun Minimalist Hydration Vest met all my needs and more!

Pros/Features/What makes it different from other vests:-Very minimalist feel: it’s lightweight, made from breathable material, and there isn’t much bulk to it. The only weight you feel is however much water you bring! It’s also made with very minimal material which is great when it’s hot outside and you don’t want that much fabric covering your front and back.

–Adjustable to fit perfectly: it comes in two sizes and the buckles/straps across the front are adjustable. Plus, the straps on the sides can cinch down.

–Minimal to no bounce: even with the water bottles full! They call it the “Lateral Stabilization Process.” There are three straps across the front in various places so the vest doesn’t move around or bounce on the run. With hydration belts, I hate the bounce on my butt while I run, so this is perfect!

–Ready to bring ALL the water: it comes with two-12oz bottles and is bladder ready (i.e. there’s a pouch and a hole for a tube-pass through. It would fit a 2L water bladder).

–Pockets galore: There are FOUR pockets with room to spare. The two on the front are great for snacks, gels and your phone and two on the back are great for keys, cards, and things you don’t need to access regularly while running. It seems every time I look at it I find another pocket! I can carry my phone, keys, snacks, gels, chapstick, credit card/cash/ID, kleenex and probably more.

-Bungee Cord On Back: Perfect for holding your extra layer, rain jacket or shell because when you’re on those long runs, you never know what you’ll need!

–Jett-Squeeze Caps: this means it’s easy to drink water or other fluids while running; you just pop the top and squeeze to drink. I noticed that you can leave the caps “open” or popped when they’re in the pockets and because of the squeeze caps, water doesn’t leak out.

-Easy to clean: the bottles are super easy to clean and because of the minimalist fabric and the mesh material it’s made out of, the vest itself is easy to air dry and clean when necessary. Other vests I’ve had experience with don’t breathe and end up molding if you don’t clean them soon enough, so this is a HUGE bonus for me. When it does need a wash, you can throw it in the machine on the gentle or hand wash cycle and air dry!

Things To Look Out For:
-I did notice that I can’t wear mine with a tank top. Maybe it is just me and my size, but I did once and had some pretty decent rubbing and chaffing on my neck and shoulders. I don’t notice ANY rubbing when I wear regular t-shirts or long sleeves.

Overall/Personal Experience:
To steal the words from another BibRave Pro, “I will never need another hydration vest.” Seriously. This vest has met all of my needs and then some. I now choose this vest over my other hydration products (belts, handhelds, etc). It’s even giving me motivation to make my long runs even longer so I can feel justified taking the vest on the run. It will also be pretty useful on hikes that I may not want to carry a huge backpack on.

If you’re in the market for a vest or considering adding a hydration vest to your gear closet, THIS is a great option!

Disclaimer: I received the FlipBelt Crops to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews!

I remember first seeing the FlipBelt at the Colfax Marathon Expo a few years ago. I thought it was the coolest thing and idea. I didn’t end up buying one because at the time I couldn’t afford it (in full disclosure, I was running the marathon relay on a free team paid for by one of my jobs).

I finally got my hands on one in the last year and love it. I actually use it quite often. When I got the word that I was selected to try and review the new FlipBelt Crops, I was super excited. The idea of having one less item to wear, on my body, was very appealing!

These capri pants are probably the comfiest, softest and most functional piece of running clothing I own, but what I like the most is how versatile they are and how convenient they are for so many activities! The Dr. Seuss book “Oh, The Places You’ll Go” always pops into my head whenever I wear them. In the few short weeks they’ve been in my closet, I’ve worn them to so many different types of runs, events, and activities!

Oh, the Flip Belt Crops can take you….

…On The Road!
Above all, these crops were initially made for runners in general. It’s perfect to have a pair of pants with a built-in FlipBelt to carry your keys safely, your phone so you can listen to music and take pictures, and a zippered pocket for your ID, credit card or money if you need it. Plus there’s still room if you need to take gels or a water bottle with you!

…To The Trails!
Trail running is a breeze with these pants! And they are moisture-wicking so your legs don’t feel sticky or sweaty.

…With Me To Work!
In fact, I wore them to coach track so many times, my co-workers started calling them my “marsupial pants.” In addition to track practice, I wear them when I’m race directing!

...To The Stadium!
I coach Long Jump and Triple jump for a local high school. You don’t know HOW perfect these are for coaching! I can run up and down the side of the track with my phone, pens, note paper, and tape for my jumpers all on me!

…To The Crag!
PERFECT for climbing and I could easily keep my phone on me for pictures from the top or pictures of my clients (I also own a rock climbing guiding business).

…In The Gym!
It’s easy to keep my phone on me so I can listen to my pump up jams while I’m pumping up the iron!

…On The Yoga Mat!
Super comfy for all the yoga poses!

…To The Store!
My shopping list, phone, money, and keys are safe and sound while I navigate the isles of the grocery store.

…On A Hike!
Even if I’m hitting the trails for just a hike, I can easily carry my phone with me so I can take pictures of the beautiful views.

Features (These are straight from the website, but I’ve added my notes to describe the pros.)

76% Polyester 24% Spandex (i.e. SUPER soft fabric)

Moisture-wicking (i.e. don’t stick to you even when you’re super sweaty)

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About the Author, Whitney

Calling Golden, CO home, her working hours are split between 3+ jobs: managing her own business, Golden Mountain Guides, that she runs with her boyfriend, marketing/race production for 3W Races, coaching high school cross country and track & field (Go Rams!), and being a freelance writer when she can!

Her non-working hours are split literarily between running and travelling, aka, Racing & Wandering. She’s usually found hiking, running, climbing (really anything outside) and often you can find her snuggled under a pile of blankets reading a good book. For more, click HERE.
Contact: RacingTheStates@gmail.com

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Owner – Golden Mountain Guides

Marking/Race Director for 3W Races

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